The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-09-21
, A FATAL THEATRE FIRE.
More Than $50 Lives Lost in
Exeter, England.
Terrible Scenes Among the Panic
Stricken Audience.

The fatal Opera Comique fire IN Paris has
had a parallel ct Exeter, England, in the
burning, with great loss of life, of the new
and large theatre there, opened for its Sec
ond season only two weeks ago.
Sims play, "Romany Rye" was under per-
formance, and the pit and gallery were
packed with auditors. The piece pro-
ceeded all right till near the end
Of the third act, about half-past ten
o'clock, when, as one of the characters
was finishing his lines, drop scene sud-
denly fell In front of him. There was some
laughter in the house at this, rs 1T was
thought to be stage blunder. In a moment,
however, the scene bulged out in the centre,
and great flames shot out. 1t was then seen
that the whole stage was mass of fire. and
there was wild panic instantly.
The occupants of the stalls, pit and dress
circle got away after good deal of crushing
and fighting. Many, especially ladies. were
severely bruised and carried away in faint
ing condition. The actors and actresses were
nearly all in the dressing rooms and were
saved.
The fire spread with marvellous rapidity
and filled the house with sutfocating smoke.
The occupants of the upper circle and gallery
rushed in numbers to the windows
and screamed for ladders. AS soon as
possible CneS6 we're OTOuSuU, DuO several per
sons had jumped into the street before they
arrived, and were taken away more or less
hurt. Others got on to the veranda over the
door, and some jumped and others were taken
off.
The theatre by this time was blazing fercely,
lighting up all the city, and the people were
fUr enapg p IN reatvas Fss Fhsufng gs
escape soon came on the scene and
took off some more people. A stall occupant
thus describes the scene: "The fire was dis
covered toward the close of the third act,
Immediately after the representation of the
deck of the Saratoga. What followed was
be cool and tried to check the fran
tic rush, but to little purpose. Women were
fainting and wringing their hands. Some hus-
bands carried ont their wives. Children were
screaming, and everybody was rushing
to the nearest exit. Short as was the time,
those who escaped into the corridor leading to
the vestibue found the place filled with dense
smoke and escaped in half suffocatei con-
dition. In few minutes the hose-always
kept in realinesS-waS pumping water on the
stage from the dress circle, but this had no
effect"
Within five minutes of the outbreak the city
fire brigade were on the spot. but the water
then poured on the fire was absolutely with
out effect
At one o'clock in the morning LOG bodies
were lying in the London Inn Square await
ing Identification. They were all frightfully
burned, chiefly about the head and hands.
The majority of them were men and boys,
although thirty women were counted as the
stretchers passed. They were apparently for
the most part occupants Of the gallery.
A heap of bodies still remained in the
higher. gallery staircase, on the first dozen
steps, before the fire destroyed that part Of
the building. Unfortunately, as was the
case with the Paris Theatre, the escape
doors in one street were fastened, and the
people behind them yelled madly and threw
their whole weight against the doors until
they were wrenched off the hinges.
The bodies presented a sickening aspect.
Every shred of clothing had been burned off
of some of the bodies. and the skin was
blackened or burned off, presenting a raw,
bloody surface.
1t was evident that the worst crush had oc-
CURED at an angle in the first fight of stairs
from the gallery. As the policemen. military
and civilians entered through window they
observed great heap of bodies at this point.
They were carried out down the escapes and
stairs quite dead and frightfully disfgured.
Upon going little higher on the stairs more
bodies were discovered and taken out. These
bodies were laid in rows in an adjoining alley
for Identification.
Those who showed signs of life were con-
veyed on stretchers to the hospital. All
the medical men of the city were
on the spot rendering what assistance they
could. The Sheriff stated that he had counted
$50 dead bodies The scene in the streets and
where the bodies were lying was pitiful.
Women were looking for missing husbands,
husbands for wives and daughters, and
mothers for their sons.
Mr.. w. Jarrett, one Of those fortunate
enough to escape, said:
II occupied front seat seat in the stalls.
Between the second and fourth acts
turned I saw the drop scene fall
almost on Mr. Grahams head as he was
speaking. He finished what he had to say
after the curtain had passed his face, and l
remarked to a friend: What a strange
thingi l never saw that occur before
''At the same moment the curtain came for
Craze my forehead. / saw at the sides
sparks and flames and heard a crack
ling. Realizing ar once the terrible
nature Of the incident, I rushed for the door
and was over the stairs in moment. When
] reached the passage Oh a level with
the dress circle l saw that there
was frightful rush for the front exit, and I
turned into passage on the right, which
knew led to the special escape doors in the
New North road.
81 fell in going over the stairs and reached
the street exhausted. Just as reached the big
doors they were thrown back, but by whom l
cannot say. The scene in the doorwayS and on
the outside balconies, which were crowded
with men and women-mostly women calling
p:teously for rescue-with the flames near
enough to burn and scorch them, was simply
heartrending."